Method and system for headset with wireless auxiliary device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11523209-B1
Application number	US-202117386077-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 27, 2021
Priority date	Jul 27, 2021
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

In one example, an apparatus comprises a headset and an auxiliary device. The headset includes a first microphone to detect first egress audio signals and a speaker to output ingress audio signals received wirelessly from a mobile device. The auxiliary device includes a container to hold the headset, as well as a second microphone to detect second egress audio signals. In a first operation mode, one of the headset or the auxiliary device can transmit wireless signals including the first egress audio signals to the mobile device. In a second operation mode, one of the headset or the auxiliary device can transmit wireless signals including the second egress audio signals to the mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a headset including:
a first wireless system configured to transmit first egress audio data, and to receive ingress audio data, the ingress audio data being originated at a mobile device;
a first microphone configured to receive first egress audio signals, and to convert the first egress audio signals to the first egress audio data; and
a headphone configured to output ingress audio signals based on the ingress audio data;

and
an auxiliary device including:
a container configured to hold the headset;
a second wireless system configured to transmit second egress audio data; and
a second microphone configured to receive second egress audio signals, and to convert the second egress audio signals to the second egress audio data;

wherein the apparatus is further configured to, in a first operation mode:
select the first egress audio signals for transmission to the mobile device; and
transmit, using the first wireless system of the headset or the second wireless system of the auxiliary device, the first egress audio data to the mobile device; and

in a second operation mode:
select the second egress audio signals for transmission to the mobile device; and
transmit, using one of the first wireless system of the headset or the second wireless system of the auxiliary device, the second egress audio data to the mobile device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the headset comprises a pair of ear buds.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the headset is configured to establish a two-way wireless connection with the mobile device using the first wireless system; and
wherein the apparatus further includes an operation mode selection circuit configured to:
in the first operation mode, forward the first egress audio data to the first wireless system of the headset to transmit the first egress audio data to the mobile device via the two-way wireless connection; and
in the second operation mode, forward the second egress audio data to the first wireless system of the headset to transmit the second egress audio data to the mobile device via the two-way wireless connection.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the headset is configured to:
establish a one-way wireless connection with the auxiliary device using the first wireless system; and
receive, via the one-way wireless connection, the second egress audio data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the two-way wireless connection is based on a first wireless protocol; and
wherein the one-way wireless connection is based on a second wireless protocol.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the operation mode selection circuit of the headset is configured to determine to operate in the second operation mode based on the first wireless system receiving the second egress audio data via the one-way wireless connection.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the headset includes an input interface configured to detect an action from a user of the headset; and
wherein the operation mode selection circuit is configured to determine whether to operate in the first operation mode or in the second operation mode based on the detected action.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the input interface comprises at least one of: a mechanical button, or a touch interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the operation mode selection circuit is configured to determine whether to operate in the first operation mode or in the second operation mode based on identifying a voice command in the first egress audio data or the second egress audio data.

10. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the operation mode selection circuit is a first operation mode selection circuit; and
wherein the auxiliary device further includes a second operation mode selection circuit configured to:
in the first operation mode, disable at least one of: the reception of the second egress audio signals by the second microphone, or the transmission of the second egress audio data by the second wireless system; and
in the second operation mode, enable the reception of the second egress audio signals by the second microphone, and enable the transmission of the second egress audio data by the second wireless system.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the auxiliary device includes an input interface configured to detecting an action from a user of the headset; and
wherein the second operation mode selection circuit is configured to determine whether to operate in the first operation mode or in the second operation mode based on the detected action.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the input interface comprises at least one of: a mechanical button, or a touch interface.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , where the auxiliary device includes a gyroscope to determine an orientation of the second microphone; and
wherein the second operation mode selection circuit is configured to determine whether to operate in the first operation mode or in the second operation mode based on the orientation of the second microphone.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary device is configured to:
establish a first two-way wireless connection with the mobile device, and a second two-way wireless connection with the headset, using the second wireless system; and
receive the first egress audio data from the headset via the second two-way wireless connection;

and
wherein the auxiliary device comprises an operation mode selection circuit configured to:
in the first operation mode, forward the first egress audio data to the second wireless system of the auxiliary device to transmit the first egress audio data to the mobile device via the first two-way wireless connection; and
in the second operation mode, forward the second egress audio data to the second wireless system of the auxiliary device to transmit the second egress audio data to the mobile device via the first two-way wireless connection.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the auxiliary device is configured to:
receive the ingress audio data from the mobile device via the first two-way wireless connection; and
transmit the ingress audio data to the headset via the second two-way wireless connection.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the auxiliary device includes an input interface configured to detecting an action from a user of the headset, the input interface comprising at least one of: a mechanical button, or a touch interface; and
wherein the operation mode selection circuit is configured to determine whether to operate in the first operation mode or in the second operation mode based on the detected action.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first two-way wireless connection and the second two-way wireless connection are based on different protocols.

18. A method comprising:
receiving, using a first wireless system of a headset, ingress audio data, the ingress audio data being originated at a mobile device;
outputting, using a headphone of the headset, ingress audio signals based on the ingress audio data;
receiving, by a first microphone of the headset, first egress audio signals;
converting, by the first microphone, the first egress audio signals to first egress audio data;
receiving, using a second microphone of an auxiliary device, second egress audio signals, the auxiliary device further including a container to hold the headset;
converting, by the second microphone, the second egress audio signals to second egress audio data;
operating at least one of the hea

Assignees

• Logitech Europe Sa

Inventors

• Ding Rong-Hwa
• Ho Tommy Chun Wah

Classifications

• H04R1/1091

  Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083 · CPC title

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title

• H04W76/10

  Connection setup · CPC title

• H04R1/1041 Primary

  Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements (switches in general H01H) · CPC title